Well drilling plant



Aug. 13, 1946.

WELL DRILLING PLANT Original Filed Sept. 2, 1958 M. T. ARCHER 2,405,546

Patentecl Aug. 13, 1946 WELL DRILLING PLANT Merton T. Archer, Toledo, Ohio, assignor to The National..Supply-Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application SeptemberZ, 1938, Serial No. 228,135. Divided and this application October 13, 1941, Serial 'No. 414,712

8 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in apparatusfor the drilling of wells, and more particularly to the power plant for driving the different mechanisms used in the rotary process of well drilling.

This application-is. a division of my copending application Serial No. 228,135, filed September 2, 1938, for Well drilling plant, now Letters Patent No. 2,282,597. a 1

- In the rotary process of drilling wells as now commonly employed, a number of machines are employed, each of which machines is driven and requires varying amounts of power for its operationduring different intervals of time. The mechanisms as commonly used include the rotary machine, the speed of drive of which is varied, and the power requirements for the driving of which are varied due to the particular drilling conditions encountered and as the depth of the Well progresses and difi'erent formations are encountered. a

In the rotary process of drilling wells, one or more mud, or so-called slush pumps, are employed which must be supplied with sufl'icient power to deliver the required amount of mud fluid. Under different conditions of operation the requirements of the mud fluid vary so that the power requirements for such a through wide limitations.

There is also commonly employed in this process of drilling wells a mechanism known as a drawworks, which is a hoist, and the power requirements for which vary over wide ranges so that a large amount of power may be required at some interval of time to lift the drill pipe out of the hole while the rotary machine and one or more of the slush pumps are idle. The variable and fluctuating power demands have not heretofore been successfully met by conventional rig drives wherein internal combustion engines are employed. The common difliculty encountered in such internal combustion engine power plants is that they are too inflexible to meet the widely varying power demands.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a driven apparatus having a power plant of suflicien-t flexibility to accommodate all power requirements incident to rotary drilling operations.

Another object of my invention is to provide a power plant for rotary drilling operations in which there are independent prime movers for each of the mechanisms or machines required in such rotary drilling operations and'wherein there are means provided for compounding any two or pump or pumps may vary' three of such engines to drive any one of the mechanisms or machines.

Another object of my invention is to provide a power plant for rotary drilling in which the drilling mechanism and the pumping mechanism may be synchronously driven by independent prime movers while a third prime mover is operable to assist in driving either or both of certain mechanism, or is' available for the purpose of independently making up mud for the drilling fluid.

Another object of my invention is to provide a rotary drilling rig which includes a plurality of internal combustion engines which may be compounded for the driving of the drawworks of such drilling rig for the lifting of the drill pipe out of the hole and which includes anindependent engine applicable simultaneously to operate a pump for the filling of the hole with mud fluid as the drill pipe is withdrawn.

Other objects and advantages of this invention it is believed will be apparent from the-following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

The drawing represents a schematic plan of a rotary drilling apparatus and power plantthere for incorporating my invention.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, l, 2 and 3 indicate prime movers of the internal combustion type and may be what is commonly referred to as Diesel engines. These engines may be duplicates of each other and are, as illustrated, arranged in parallel side by side relation for compactness and for the purpose of compounding.

As illustrated, each engine may be mounted upon its own skid frame 4, 5 and 6, respectively. These skid frames. may be mounted in position upon any suitable base or sub-structure commonly I provided in such drilling operations and not herein illustrated. The drive shaft of each engine, 1, 2 and 3, is provided with a shaft extension-8, 9

' and I0, respectively. Each of the drive shaft extensions is rotatably supported in a pair of pedestal bearings l 1 carried by the respective-skid frames.

In addition to the shaft extension ll) of the engine 3, the engine 3'may be coupled directlyto an idler shaft 1. The idler shaft 1 is coupled to the shaft I0 in end to end relation. Flexible couplings 12 are provided between each engine shaft and its extension shaft and between the extension shaft I0 and the idler shaft 1. These flexible couplings l2 may be of any suitable orselectively coupled "to its respective extension shaft and the extension shaft H1 i selectively coupled to the idler shaft 1.

Transmission connections are provided between i the respective shafts and these transmission connections may take the form of sheaves operatively connected through the medium of multiple V-belt connections.

In order to permit the operation of the prime movers I, 2 and 3 independently or conjointly, the transmission connections include a sheave l4 V by shifting the reverse gear actuating lever 38 to which is fixed upon the extension shaft 9 and connected through the multiple V-belt connection with a sheave l5 journaled upon the extension Shaft'r8.;.

A friction clutch 16 is provided for releasably clutchingthe sheave l51to the extension shaft 8. Similarly, a sheave |'|is secured to the idler shaft 'lj-andconnected through a multiple V-belt with a sheave --|8,mounted upon the extension shaft 9. A'olutch 1.9 of any suitable or desirable construction'is provided for engaging the sheave 18 with the shaft 9; :It will be obvious that the coupling l z'between the extension shaft l0 and idler shaft 1 may be used to couple these shafts together. Thusjdependin'g,upon the actuation of the respective-couplings; the engines I, 2 and 3 may be used independently ormay be conjointly compounded togetheni;

' V j In addition to these selective transmission connections; with at leastone other engine, each of thegengines I, 2 and 3 is ,detachably connected to drive one of the driven connections or machines essential to the operation of the drilling rig. Thus thejshaft- Set the engine I is connected through the transmissionillustrated as including a sheave 20,;1T1Xed-upon'the-shaft 8 with a sheave 2| fixed uponthe drivenshaft of a reverse gear mechanism 22. The reverse gear mechanism 22 is interposed, between theenginel and the drawworks 23 andis; provided witha power take-off sprocket 24 which drives the drawworks drive shaft 25 througha-transmission chain 26. The rotary mach-ine2'l is, as is customary in such drilling apparatus,- driven through a transmission connection from the drawworks 23. V

,-;The idler shaftfil is normally driven by the engine 2; and the transmission connection provided for this driveincludes a sheave l8 which is journaled upon the extension shaft 9 and is adapted to I be releasably clutched thereto through the medium of a clutch l9. Through a suitable transmission connection such as the multiple V-belt illustrated, the drive from the engine 2 is transmittedto a sheave fixed to the idler shaft 1. In order t drive the slush pump 3| directly fromthe engine 2, a sheave 3,2 is joumaled upon the idler shaft 1 and is adapted to be releasably clutched through the medium of a clutch 33. A transmission connection, which may be of the multiple v-belt type, connects the sheave 32 with 'asheave 32 secured to the driven shaft of the slush'pump 3|.

In the samemanner, the slush pump 34 may be directly driven from the engine 3 through the medium of asheave 35 journalled upon the extension shaftfll andadapted to b releasably its neutral position; at which position the power take-off sprocket 24 is not driven and the reverse gear 22 idles and does not transmit power.

The slush pumps 3| and 34 are operatively associated together so that they may be driven independently or in series or in parallel, depending upon th conditions of operation desired or required during the rotary drilling of the well. For example, it may be desired to operate the pump 34 only. In order to connect the pumps so as to permit of such individual operation, a header 33 is provided, which header 39 is connected with the outlets from each of the pumps 3| and 34. The'inlets 40 and 4| of the pumps 3| and 34 are respectively connected to conduits 42 and 43, which conduits are connected into the header conduit 39. A single discharge conduit 44 is provided which leads to the customary hydrauli swivel (not illustrated) usually employed in a rotary drilling rig.

A second discharge conduit 45 is provided leading from the headerconduit 39 which extends outward to the point where mud is mixed for entry into the intakes 40 or 4| of the pumps 3| and 34, respectively. The header conduit 39 is provided with valves 45 and 41, respectively. The auxiliary discharge conduit 45 is provided with a valve 48; the conduit 42 is provided with a valve 49; the conduit 43 is provided with a valve 50; the intake conduits 40 and 4| are provided with intake valves 5| and 52, respectively.

When only one pump, for example the pump 3|, is desired to be operated, the clutches l9 and 33 are engaged. The valve 48 is normally maintained closed except in the mixing of mud, and for the following examples may be considered to be main-' tained closed at all times,

in operating the single pump 3| to provide the mud fluid for the drilling operations, the

valves 45, 41* and 50 are closed. The pump 3| clutched thereto through the medium of a clutch in which case the then draws the mud fluid through the intake 40 by the intake valve 5| which is open and discharges the same through the valve 46 to the discharge line 44. If it is desired to operate the slush pump 34 alone, the clutch 33 may be disengaged and the clutch 3B engaged. During this operation the valves 52 and 41 are 'open and the valves 50, 46 and 43 are closed. Mud is then drawn through the intake 4| and discharged :by also valve 41 and through the discharge conduit In order to operate'the two pumps 3| and 34 in parallel, both the engines 2 and 3 may be utilized and the clutches 49, 33 and 35 are closed, and allvalves with the exception of valves 43 and 5B are open, then both pumps discharge into the discharge pipe 44. In order to operate the pumps3| and 34m series, either pump may be utilized for low presure or high pressure service as desired. For example, the pump 3| may be used for low pressure service and the pump 34 for high pressure service, valves 49, 46 and 52 are closed and all other valves remain open. vMud fluid then enters the intake 40 and is discharged by the pump 3| throughthe conduit 43 by the valve 50 into the intake 4| of the pump 34 and is discharged by the pump 34 through the header conduit 39 by the valve 41 and into the discharge conduit 44,

In the equivalent operation, when the pump 34 is used for low pressure service and the pump 3| for high pressure service, the engines remain coupled to the pumps for driving the same as heretofore described, and in this case the valves 5|-, 5%! and 41 are closed and all other valves remain open. In this case the operation is that the mud fluid is taken in through the intake 4| of the pump 34, discharged through the header conduit 39 through the conduit 42 by the valve 49 into the intake 40 of the pump 3| and is discharged from the pump 3| by the valve 46 into the discharge conduit 44.

The pumps 3| and 34 are, as is common in such drilling rig, of the positive displacement type and in operating these pumps in series, it is required that the output from the low pressure pump be equal to the input to the high pressure pump.

Considerable difficulty has heretofore been experienced inendeavoring to control the speeds of the two pumps so that this requirement may be met. In my present invention this difficulty is overcome by providing two separate engines and further by providing a hydraulic coupling 53between each engine and its flexible coupling l2 whereby the engine shaft is connected to its respective extension shaft. The hydraulic coupling 53 may be of any suitable or desirable construction but is as herein illustrated of the type specifically set forth and disclosed in the Archer, et al. Patent No, 2,164,173, granted June 27, 1939, to which patent reference is specificall mad for the construction and operation of this hydraulic coupling. These hydraulic couplings 53 are of such construction and mode of operation that minor variations and speed of the output shafts 54 thereof can be readily absorbed without materially affecting the speed of the driving engine. This permits the engines to be driven or operated at substantially constant speed while driving the pumps 3| and 34 in series operation and any necessary difference in speed of operation of the pumps 3| and 34 may be absorbed by the slip of these hydraulic couplings.

The use of these couplings 53 also permits the power plant embodying my invention t be operated so that it does not, pick up the load, 'i. e., the output shaft 54 does not begin to run until the speed of the engine is increased above idling speed. Therefore each engine can be allowed to idle without turning its extension shaft until such time as its power is required, at which time the engine automatically picks up the load upon increase in speed.

In order that the working fluid within the hydraulic couplings may not become overheated in service, means are preferably provided for circulating a cooling liquid such, for example, as water to and from each hydraulic coupling 53. In order to accomplish this, a manifold 55 is provided for each coupling mounted upon each output shaft 54 between the hydraulic coupling 53 and the coupling l2. These manifolds 55 direct the cooling liquid from the respective supply pipes 56 to the hydraulic couplings 53 through a passage formed within the shaft 54. The discharge fiuid returns to the manifold 55 through 6. another passage within the shaft 54 and is car ried away through a discharge conduit 51.

Individual valves 58 may be provided on the individual discharge. conduit and master valves 59 and 60 maybe provided for the conduits 56 and 51 as illustrated. The internal construction of the manifolds 55, the shafts 54 thereof, andthe hydraulic coupling 53, is disclosed in the copending application as hereabove referred-to and is not per se elaimedherein.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that through the instrumentality of my invention a power plantfor'rotary drilling apparatu i providedwhich provides independent and individual prime movers for drilling mechanism and each pumping mechanism. It also provides the power plants which may be combined 'so that any two or three of the engines is available to drive any one of the mechanisms, either the drilling ma chine, or either of the pumps.

It will also be evident that the drilling mechanism and the pumping mechanism may be separately operated by independent prime movers with one of them available for mud mixing and make-up. It will be further obvious that any two engines may be compounded to operate the drawworks while the third engine is available to operate a mud pump for circulating the mud fluid or for filling the casing with mud as the drill pipe is Withdrawn. It will be further obvious that the drilling mechanism may be operated with one engine while the other engines may be compounded to operate one mechanism or may open-- ate-two mechanisms in series or in parallel andthat the series operation of the mud or slush pumps is facilitated through the use of the hydraulic couplings as hereinabove set forth.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I do not wishto be limited to the detail herein set forth, but my invention is of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A power plant for a rotary drilling rig, having in combination a pair of engines disposed-in parallel side-by-side relationship and provided with parallel extension shafts, a power take-off element rotatably mountedon the second of said extension shafts, a drive element rotatably mounted on the first of said extension shafts, releasable clutch means adapted to connect each of said elements to its respective extension shaft, an idler member rotatably mounted coaxially with respect to the second extension shaft, releasable clutch means to place the idler member in direct driving relation with the second extension shaft, said idler member being provided with a driven element and an axially spaced power take-off element adapted to rotate as a unit, and power transmission connections between said driven element and said drive element on the first extension shaft.

2. In a power means for driving equipment of a derrick having a drawworks, the combination of: first and second engines in parallel relation; first and second shaft elements respectively driven by said first and second engines; a third shaft element means to connect said first shaft element to said drawworks; and transmission means to connect said second shaft element to said drawworks and said third shaft element, said transmission means being adapted to drivably connect said first shaft element with said third shaft element when it is disconnected from said second shaft element.

3. In a power means for driving equipment of a derrick having a drawworks the combination of: first and second engines in parallel relation; first and second shaft elements respectively driverr by said first and second egnines; a third shaft element; means to connect said first shaft element to said drawworks; transmission means to connect said second shaft element to said drawworksgand said thirdshaft element, said transmission means being adapted to drivably connect said first shaft element with said third shaft element when it is disconnected from said second shaft element; a pair of pumps connected in compounded relation; means for connecting one of said pumps to said second shaft element whereby it may be independently driven by said second engine; and means for connecting the other of said pumps to said third shaft element whereby it may be independently driven by said first en- -fi- Y i I 4. In power means for; driving equipment of a derrick having a drawworks, the combination of: first and second power means, said first power means comprising a pair of engines with interconnecting transmission means comprising a clutch; first and second shaft elements respectively driven by said first: and second power means; a third shaft element; means to connect said first shaft element to said drawworks; transmission means to connect said second shaft element to said drawworks and said third shaft element, said transmission means being adapted to drivably connect said first shaft element with said third shaft element when; it is disconnected from said second shaft element; ,a pair of pumps connected in compounded relation; means for connecting one of said pumps to said second shaft element whereby it may be independently driven by said second power means; and means for connecting the other of said pumps to said third shaft element whereby it may b independently driven by said power means. 7

5. In a power means for driving equipment of a derrick having a drawworks, the combination of: first and second power means in parallel relation; first and second shaft elements respectively driven by said first and second power means; a'third shaft element; means to connect said first shaft element to said drawworks; and transmission means to connect said second shaft element to said drawworks and said'third shaft element,

said transmission means being adapted to drivably connect said first shaftelement with said third shaft element when it is disconnected from said second shaft element.

6, In power means for driving equipment of to said drawworks; a dual wheel device associated with said second shaft element; clutch means to connect said dualwheel device to said second shaft element; a wheel associated with said first shaft element; clutch means to connect said wheel to said first shaft element; a flexible endless power transmission element to connect said wheel and said dual wheel device; a first drivable mechanism; a second drivable mechanism; transmission means including a flexible endless power transmission element to connect said dual wheel device with said first drivable mechanism whereby the same may be driven from said first engine when said dual wheel device is disconnected from said second shaft element; and transmission means to connect said second drivable mechanism to said second engine. 7. In power means for driving equipment of a derrick having a drawworks, the combination of: first and second engines in side-by-sid relation; first and second shaft elements respectively driven by said first and second engines transmission means to connect said first shaft element to said drawworks; a, dual wheel device associated with said second shaft element; clutch means to connect said dual wheel device to said'second shaft element; a wheel. associated with said first shaft element; clutch means to connect said wheel to said first shaft element; a wheel device to connect said wheel and said dual wheel device; a drivable mechanism; and transmission means including a flexible endless power transmission element to connect said dual wheel device with said drivable mechanism whereby the same may be driven from said first engine when said dual wheel device is disconnected from said second shaft element. I 8. In power means for driving equipment of a derrick having a drawworks, the combination of: first and second power means, said first power means comprising a pair of engines with interconnecting transmission means comprising a clutch; first and second shaft elements respectively driven by said first and second power means; transmission means to connect said first shaft element to said drawworks; a dual wheel device associated with said second shaft element; clutch means to connect said dual wheel device to said second shaft element; a wheel associated with said first shaft element; a flexible endless power transmission element to connect saidwheel and said dual wheel device; a drivable mechanism; and transmission means including a flexible endless power transmission element to connect said dual wheel device with said drivable mechanism whereby the same may be driven from said power means when said dual wheel device is disconnected from said second haft lement.

MERTOlN' T. ARCHER. 

